


Talking With Your Hands

by calibratingentropy



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Gen, Muteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-30
Updated: 2012-01-30
Packaged: 2017-10-30 08:10:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/329651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calibratingentropy/pseuds/calibratingentropy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dave takes John out clubbing and promises to rap for him. Meanwhile, John wonders why Dave hasn't said a single word.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Talking With Your Hands

**Author's Note:**

> Repost and unanoning from the Kink Meme. Original thread and prompt is [here](http://homesmut.livejournal.com/12138.html?thread=24522602#t24522602)

John was so excited he could barely keep from skipping. He hadn't gotten to see Dave in person since the game ended and they all got to go to the new universe together. And finally they were getting to hang out and Dave had promised to take him to the best club in town. The only weird thing was that Dave hadn't said a word, not a peep, and actually it hadn't struck John as weird at first. The game mechanics had insured he hadn't heard anyone's voice but Jade's while they were playing. But now that he was thinking about it, the silence seemed kind of weird. He was just about to ask Dave when his phone buzzed with a text. 

TG: you ready for this dude  
TG: ready to have your mind completely blown

Seriously? John pouted. "Come on, Dave! We're walking right next to each other. Do we have to talk over text? Let me hear you!" 

Dave just smirked and John was _sure_ he was rolling his eyes behind his ever present shades. A second later John's phone buzzed again. 

TG: nope man youre not ready to break this tradition  
TG: but seriously you ready for the club  
TG: bring the earplugs and everything like i told you  
TG: cause i dont want you walking back out halfdeaf

It was John's turn to roll his eyes. "I've been to clubs before. Geez you're acting like it'll blow out my eardrums. But yeah, I brought a pair like you said, and I'll even wear them, 'cause I wanna hear you when you perform. You're really doing it, right? Not some ironic thing." 

TG: yeah dude im doing this  
TG: youre gonna be on your knees worshiping the strider glory  
TG: tears running down that derpy baby face of yours  
TG: im whipping out my sickest fires for you  
TG: gonna show you my sweetest rhymes  
TG: you wont believe your eyes

Okay, fine, maybe he was saving his voice or something. John could believe that. He rolled his eyes at Dave again, but apparently they were already at the club, because Dave turned to the side, casual as can be, and strolled right to the head of a line. John was surprised at how short it was, compared to the lines at some of the other clubs they'd passed, but maybe Dave liked less popular clubs? It seemed like something that would appeal to him. 

Dave showed his ID to the bouncer but it was clearly a formality thing, because they obviously knew each other well enough to have some secret code. Or, at least that was what John was assuming the hand-signs were. It ended with a fist bump, anyway. John scrambled to get his own ID out, feeling embarrassed that he hadn't been prepared. Then their hands were Xed up to show they weren't twenty-one yet--John couldn't wait for the day he was, because it was a pain to wash off the permanent marker--and they were let in. 

And oh my god. They weren't even in the club proper yet and already John felt a little deafened. It was _loud_ in here. He scrambled to get the ear plugs in while Dave smirked and then had the audacity to pat his head. Dave already had his in, cocky bastard. John almost missed feeling his phone vibrate, and probably would have missed it entirely if he hadn't noticed Dave's in his hand again. 

TG: right we got about an hour before im on  
TG: guess ill let you see my awesome moves  
TG: lets dance dude

John followed him in but had to stop once they were through the heavy doors. It was like being hit with a wall of sound. He could hear clearly even with the earplugs in, and he could _feel_ the bass vibrating through his feet and in his chest. Somehow he was sure he'd be half-deaf after this _anyway_ , because it was as loud as being right in front of the speakers in a huge concert. The club was pretty tiny, but the dance floor was hopping, which made it look busy, even with so few people. Yeah, Dave definitely was being ironic or something, to frequent such a small place. It felt almost cozy, except for the pounding music. 

Then John had no more time to think, because Dave had hold of his wrist and was dragging him out onto the floor. They were in the middle of a crowd, all at once, and maybe a little too close for John's comfort, but Dave's arms were above his head and his hips were _shimmying_. Whoa, Dave had to be the best dancer John had ever seen. John had never really cared about his complete lack of anything that could be called rhythm, because dancing was about having fun, but he couldn't help feeling self-conscious when faced with the godly moves Dave was putting on. He really _hadn't_ been bragging, huh? 

Then Dave was even _closer_ with hands on John's hips and an almost evil little smirk. John was glad that the club was dim--not as dark as some though--because he knew he was blushing like crazy. Dave's hands pushed and pulled at his hips and John was moving and there it was. There was the fun he'd been missing. John laughed and tried to get his arms into it. The damn had broken and nothing mattered but the beat and moving with Dave. 

John didn't even feel time passing, so it was a surprise when Dave pulled back. Grinning, the blond tapped his wrist and jerked his head towards where the DJ and a tiny stage was. John followed to get a better view, because this was what he'd been waiting for. Dave had rapped at him over text before, but it wasn't the same as actually hearing his friend. He was so excited. 

The pounding bass actually stopped for a second as Dave climbed up on the little stage and fistbumped the DJ. John still felt like he was shaking from it though and-- wait. Something was missing. Where was the microphone? Even if they turned the music way, way down, Dave would have to shout to be heard without a mike. What was up? 

But no one else seemed to care at all, and in fact every person in the place had turned to face the stage. Dave raised his hands slowly, then spun and posed. The crowd started waving their hands and clapping over their heads. Dave smirked at everyone and gestured to the DJ. The deafening music started back up. Dave danced a little at first but then he shook his hands out and--

\--And made his _hands_ dance. Dave was still swaying and bopping to the beat, but it was his hands that were doing the real dancing. They flew through different motions with confidence and grace, definitely the focus of whatever Dave was doing. John was torn between confusion and being utterly mesmerised. Dave was definitely performing, but there was no way he'd be hearing Dave tonight. It was... John didn't know what it was, but there was no point in trying to dwell on it. Dave was amazing to watch and the motions had a pattern to them. In fact, some people in the crowd had picked them up, doing them right in time with Dave and with just as much ease. Not with the same sheer amazing that Dave did though, John noted with a bit of pride on his friend's behalf. 

The song changed, but Dave didn't stop. The motions changed, and John started wondering if this was what Dave had meant by "show" and "you won't believe your eyes" earlier. He'd thought the eyes part had been a mistake, but, yeah... There were definitely going to be some questions later. 

Another two songs and then Dave ceded the stage to some other guy, slipping into the crowd and careening into John with a flushed and happy smile. Dave smirked, or grinned at best. Big smiles were more John's thing, but there it was, all over Dave's face, as Dave wrapped an arm around his shoulders and practically dragged him out. 

John was happy to be away from the noise, honestly, and even without the earplugs, the city sounds felt strangely quiet and muted. They ended up in a deserted little plaza right near the club, and John gratefully slumped on a bench. Sure enough, Dave's phone was out already. 

TG: lay your questions on me dude  
TG: dave strider will clear this shit up for you

Now that he was expected to ask them, John didn't actually know where to start. "Um, what was that?" 

TG: that was the sicknastiest rap youve ever laid eyes on  
TG: sublime beats and the hottest rhymes from the hands of the rap god  
TG: namely one dave strider  
TG: asl in case youre wondering  
TG: american sign language  
TG: for our home audience who needs to catch up on their acronyms

John had just been about to ask what ASL even meant when the last lines appeared and Dave reached over to nudge his mouth closed with a trademark Strider smirk. His thoughts whirled. He knew what sign language was, but he hadn't known that _Dave_ knew how to speak it. Sign it, he guessed. Suddenly how loud the club had been made sense. John had certainly been able to feel the music, and he was pretty sure that people who were hard of hearing would too. But why would Dave go to a club and rap in sign language if he wasn't deaf? John knew he definitely wasn't deaf. "I don't really get why..." 

Dave was definitely rolling his eyes behind his shades this time, but there was something a little off in his smirk. John had only seen that a couple times before, but he didn't get what Dave would have to be nervous about. Then Dave grabbed John's wrist and pressed his palm to his throat. What? What the--?! John felt his face heat and was about to pull his hand away when Dave spoke. Or...looked like he was speaking. His mouth moved. His throat even moved, but there was something very very wrong. John couldn't hear a thing. He wondered if the club had made him deaf when a split second later realized he couldn't _feel_ a thing either. No vibration in Dave's throat. Oh. 

_Oh_. Oh god, had something gone wrong with the game? Had Dave somehow not gotten his voice back? John had talked with Rose over the phone, so he knew she'd gotten hers back. Oh god, what could have gone wrong? John swallowed, apologies fluttering around in his head--

And his phone buzzed. 

TG: relax man youve got a neon sign flashing your thoughts above your head  
TG: cool your tits  
TG: it wasnt you or the game or even ectobiology shenanigans  
TG: im just nonverbal ive always been and so is bro  
TG: were too cool for your vocal shit  
TG: striders talk with our hands  
TG: cause lets face it with the unbelievable cool of a strider  
TG: a strider voice would be so amazing youd be struck deaf from hearing the heavenly sound  
TG: sweeter than an angel and more majestic than rolling thunder definitely too much for mortal ears  
TG: just watching me rap made you see stars am i right

John felt awful, even if Dave had said it wasn't ectobiology. Because they'd all been created with it, and Dave _didn't have a voice_. "Oh god, Dave, I'm so sorry."

Dave _glared_ , fingers snapping down on his phone like little stabs. 

TG: shut the fuck up john  
TG: i like being fucking nonverbal  
TG: ive always been this way im cool with it  
TG: i dont want your pity  
TG: my hands are my voice and im proud as hell of this shit i can do  
TG: nobody can match my sick fires verbal or non  
TG: i invited you to visit because i wanted to show you this shit  
TG: if youre gonna be an insensitive jerk about it you can get right back on the damn plane

Shit. John didn't know what to really do. He hadn't been prepared for this at all. He--Screw it, Dave looked like he needed a hug, and John was man enough to be able to give his bro a hug. Dave was really stiff in his arms, but that didn't matter. "Sorry. I guess I was being insensitive. You were _really_ cool and fun to watch tonight. I'm glad you showed me." 

Dave's arms slowly wound around him and he felt Dave's cheek against his neck. It didn't feel nearly as awkward as he thought it would have. Then his phone buzzed, with a single line of red text, "you giant dork" and they were both laughing. John had tears in his eyes from laughing so hard when the hug finally ended. John was glad Dave wasn't angry anymore, but there was one more thing. "I guess I should start learning sign language, huh? So I can understand you when I watch you talk." 

The smile on Dave's face was really refreshing, though John was wary of that quirk; it usually meant trouble for somebody. 

TG: dont worry dude  
TG: strider has this well in hand  
TG: youll be an asl master before im done with you  
TG: so hold onto your windy self and repeat after me

Then Dave was slowly moving his hands through some signs and John dutifully tried to follow along. It took way too many attempts in his opinion but he finally got it right and felt warm and happy at the thumbs up Dave gave him. At least until... "Wait, what did you have me just say?" 

TG: well dude if you want to know you said  
TG: ooooh mr strider ooh  
TG: your hands make me so hot  
TG: take me now mr studly hands

"Daaaaaaaave! That's not funny. No, really! What did I say?"

TG: i guess youll have to learn asl and find out

"Dave! No fair!"


End file.
